1

Community Transformation Grant Media Stories

Table of Contents

Alaska “Craig schools awarded nutrition grant,” KRBD 11/15/2012 “SEARCH list Community Transformation Grant sub-awards,” Juneau Empire 11/18/2012

California

“Sonoma Co. receives $3.5 million grant for health care reform efforts,” North Bay Business Journal 9/28/2012

“With obesity on the rise in L.A. County, health officials urge meal portion control,” Daily News, Los Angeles 10/4/2012

“County receives $3.5 million grant to promote healthier communities ,” The Community Voice 10/26/2012

“Prevention Fund Helps Rural California County Fight Cancer, Promote Health,” Forbes 11/28/2012

“Collaborating for community health,” The Inyo Register 12/26/2012

Delaware “Congressional delegation, Nemours announce two major federal grants to help build

healthier communities,” US Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware 10/18/2012 “Grant aims to give more kids appetite for wellness,” Delaware Online 10/18/2012

Georgia

“Tanner gets $1.22 million grant from CDC,” Times-Georgian 10/6/2012 “Tanner gets $1.22M in federal grant,” Atlanta Business Chronicle 10/8/2012

Illinois

“Quality Quest for Health gets $2.4 million grant,” Peoria Journal Star 9/30/2012 “Local leaders want healthy neighbors,” The Daily Republican 10/29/2012 “McHenry County Board approves acceptance of We Choose Health funds,” Centegra

HealthSystems 11/6/2012 “Health Dept. works with Housing Authority on grant initiatives,” Quad-Cities Online

12/27/2012 “Extension works on grant,” East Peoria Times 1/2/2013

Indiana

“Foundation grant to help children, trainees of 4C of Southern Indiana,” Evansville Courier & Press 1/6/2013

Iowa “Healthy Communities helps make downtown Mt. Pleasant safer for walkers and bikers,”

KIJL Radio11/29/2012 Kansas

2

“Greater Wichita YMCA wins 2.4 million federal health grant,” The Wichita Eagle 10/17/2012

Maine

“With $1.3M grant, Healthy Acadia triples income over 2010,” Bangor Daily News 9/27/2012

“Maine Development Foundation Awarded $1.6 Million to Launch Healthy Maine Streets,” Maine Development Foundation 10/2/2012

“Healthy Arcadia lands 1.3M grant,” FenceViewer 10/8/2012 “Local $220,000 HCC grant for recreational programs for youths,” Daily Bulldog

10/11/2012 “Partnering to Create Healthy Futures,” Maine Public Health 11/19/2012

Maryland

Healthiest Maryland: Maximizing Wellness for 2 Million Marylanders by 2016 Massachusetts

“Wareham gets part of $1 million Community Transformation Grant,” WarehamVillageSoup.com 10/24/2012

“SouthCoast anti-smoking effort receives $1M grant,” The Herald News 10/24/2012 “Grant aims to make Wareham senior housing smoke-free,” WarehamVillageSoup.com

11/1/2012 “Boys and Girls Club of Plymouth: Healthy Plymouth program,” Wicked Local Plymouth

11/14/2012 Michigan

“CMDHD awarded $1.6 million grant,” Clare County Review “Together We Can: Community Transformation Grant,” The Michigan Health Information

Alliance, Inc. Minnesota

“Heart of Brown County’ to receive grant,” The Free Press 10/7/2012

Montana “Community Transformation Grant: Built Environment,” Mt.gov

New Mexico

“Futures Foundation gets community transformation grant,” Cibola Beacon 10/2/2012 “City approves grant for another 12 months,” El Defensor Chieftain 10/6/2012

New York

“Community Transformation Grant in New York City,” YouTube 8/29/2012 “Healthy community transformation under way,” Observer 11/26/12

North Carolina “Health Department partners with other counties to receive N.C. Dept. of Public Health

grant,” Lincoln Times-News

3

“Regional community transformation grant comes to Catawba County,” Catawba County North Carolina 10/23/2012

“Spring Lake eyes grant seeking to create healthier communities,” FayObserver 12/17/201 “Northampton County government goes smoke free,” The Daily Herald 1/7/2013

Ohio

“Activate Allen County nets $1.2 million federal grant,” Lima News 9/26/2012 Oklahoma

“Obamacare funding helps to keep Oklahoma programs up and running,” NewsOk 10/15/2012

Oregon “Beaverton Community Health Partnership plans one-stop health care using federal grant,”

The Oregonian 10/12/2012 Pennsylvania

“Merged Philly-area YMCAs flexing muscle,” Philly.com 11/22/12 South Carolina

“LiveWell Greenville awarded $1.95 million to help create healthier communities in Greenville County,” The Travelers Rest Tribune 10/7/2012

“Kids' health program gets $1.9M shot to boost lunches, play sites,” GreenvilleOnline.com 10/3/2012

Washington

“HHS Awards $3.6 Million Grant for Obesity Prevention & Tobacco Control,” B Town Blog 10/1/2012

“All publicly subsidized housing in Tacoma to go smoke-free Mach 1,” The Bellingham Herald 10/31/2012

“Prevention Fund Helps Makah Tribe Awaken Sleeping “Ways of Wellness”,” Forbes 11/30/2012

West Virginia

“WVU awarded $400K to help create healthier rural communities,” The State Journal 10/22/2012

“National diabetes group to return to W.Va. in 2013,” SFGate 11/12/2012 Additional Articles

“Community Transformation Grants are already making a difference,” The Nation’s Health 1/2013

4

Alaska

5

KRBD Craig schools awarded nutrition grant 11/15/2012 http://www.krbd.org/2012/11/15/craig-schools-awarded-nutrition-grant/ The Craig School District is one of seven recipients of the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Community Transformation grant program. $95,000 will be split among the Southeast Alaska community groups for programs that focus on improving health. The Craig School District will use its grant to help develop school nutrition curriculum around fruits and vegetables, while strengthening the school garden. Other recipients were the Alaska Breastfeeding Coalition in Juneau; the Takshanuk Watershed Council in Haines; Petersburg Mental Health Services; Sitka Local Foods Network; Brave Heart Volunteers in Sitka; and the Wrangell School District’s planned nutrition program. The next round of grant applications will be announced sometime next summer.

http://www.krbd.org/2012/11/15/craig-schools-awarded-nutrition-grant/

6

Juneau Empire SEARHC lists Community Transformation Grant sub-awards 11/18/2012 http://juneauempire.com/state/2012-11-18/searhc-lists-community-transformation-grant-sub-awards#.UKqF4WfhdIp

The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) Community Transformation Grant program will make seven sub-award grants worth $95,000 to community groups in Southeast Alaska interested in improving the health of their communities. A total of 15 applications from various community groups around the region were submitted by the Oct. 19 deadline. A seven-member review board comprised of SEARHC, Alaska Department of Health and Human Services and rural community representatives completed the difficult task of reviewing and scoring the applications. “All of the applicants had great ideas and clearly wanted to improve the health of their communities,” SEARHC Community Transformation Grant Program Manager Martha Pearson said. According to the funding objectives, projects should be population based and have a well-planned strategy to address at least one of the three focus issues — tobacco-free living; active living and healthy eating; and high-impact quality clinical and other preventive services to prevent and control high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Sub-award grants ranging from $5,000 to $24,750 were available. The applications that showed definite links to sustainable organizational practices, such as school curricula and institutional meal guidelines, were scored the highest. The SEARHC Community Transformation Grant sub-award winners for Fiscal Year 2013 are:

• Alaska Breastfeeding Coalition will expand education about worksite breastfeeding initiatives in Juneau and the region. • Takshanuk Watershed Council will develop ways to increase access to local produce and seafood in Haines by developing community awareness and sourcing local foods for institutional meals. • The Craig School District will develop its school nutrition curricula around fruits and vegetables while strengthening the local school garden. • Petersburg Mental Health Services and Sitka Local Foods Network will engage their local communities in extensive community planning around food and health needs (these are two separate projects doing similar work). • Brave Heart Volunteers will take the lead on connecting health and human service related organizations in Sitka to most efficiently meet community needs. • The Wrangell School District will develop a new school nutrition practice that requires scratch-cooked, healthier meals for students.

The next round of applications for Fiscal Year 2014 will be solicited in the late summer 2013. If funding allows, SEARHC expects to offer the chance to apply for sub-awards every year until 2016. For more information, contact Martha Pearson at 966-8783 or martha.pearson@searhc.org.

http://juneauempire.com/state/2012-11-18/searhc-lists-community-transformation-grant-sub-awards#.UKqF4WfhdIphttp://juneauempire.com/state/2012-11-18/searhc-lists-community-transformation-grant-sub-awards#.UKqF4WfhdIpmailto:martha.pearson@searhc.org

7

California

8

North Bay Business Journal Dan Verel Sonoma Co. receives $3.5 million grant for health care reform efforts 9/28/2012 http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/62127/sonoma-co-receives-3-5-million-grant-for-health-care-reform-efforts/

SANTA ROSA — The county of Sonoma received $3.5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for efforts related to early implementation of health care reform. The Community Transformation Grants award is one of just 40 nationwide, totaling $70 million, according to the county’s announcement today. “This is a groundbreaking example of local communities benefiting from federal health care reform,” Supervisor Shirlee Zane said in a statement. “Our innovation and partnership here in Sonoma County set us apart, and the federal government clearly recognizes our efforts as worthy of its investment. These funds will improve the health of everyone in our community as we build a focused prevention effort.” The county said programs such as Health Action, a public-private effort to improve community health, was instrumental in securing the grant. Health Action will also serve as a blueprint for future efforts that the grant will go toward, including education, access to care and community resources. The county said it will leverage a wide network of community partners to turn its proposal into action, investing more than half the grant funds into local service providers and community organizations and using remaining funds used to bolster county programs. Specific projects included:

increasing the number of “baby-friendly” hospitals, more school staff training to integrate physical activity into the school day, expanding the Safe Routes to School program, supporting the local food system by bringing fresh farm produce to schools and providing

financial incentives for low-income individuals and families to purchase fresh farm produce, developing nutritional standards for county foodservice; launching a media campaign

aimed to reduce the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages and tobacco use, training youth in suicide prevention and training planners, policy makers, and architects in healthy community design.

“By focusing on where people live, work, learn and play, this grant will improve the health of many individuals, contribute to our vibrant community, and help build the environment and systems needed for everyone to live healthier lives,” said Rita Scardaci, director of county Health Services. Targets for the grants are low-income, Hispanic/Latino and youth populations, with special attention to underserved rural areas, pregnant women and newborns. The program is funded through the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund, designed to support areas with fewer than 500,000 people in neighborhoods, school districts, villages, towns, cities and counties.

http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/62127/sonoma-co-receives-3-5-million-grant-for-health-care-reform-efforts/http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/62127/sonoma-co-receives-3-5-million-grant-for-health-care-reform-efforts/

9

OBESITY RATES Percent of Los Angeles County adults who are obese by region in 2011 Antelope Valley, 34.8% San Fernando Valley, 21.1% San Gabriel Valley, 23.9% Metro area, 20.1% West L.A., 9.8% South L.A., 32.7% East L.A., 30.1% South Bay, 22.7%

Daily News Los Angeles Susan Abram With obesity on the rise in L.A. County, health officials urge meal portion control

10/4/2012

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_21699442/obesity-rise-l-county-health-officials-urge-meal

Concerned with the rising number of obese residents across Los Angeles County, health officials on Thursday unveiled an ad campaign to encourage people to control their food portions. Billboards and ads showing photographs of foods such as three slices of pizza versus two with calorie information already have rolled out at train stations and bus benches across the county. | See photo gallery. Television, radio and social media ads will also promote the "Choose Health L.A" campaign with the message "Choose Less. Weigh Less." The goal is to make people think about the amount of calories they choose by, for example, comparing a large soda and fries to a smaller portion, said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. "The goal of this campaign is to get people to start thinking about how much food they are consuming in each meal," Fielding said, "If we can get people to think about that and start eating less, or ordering smaller portions, then we will be on the right track." The campaign was launched just as countywide adult obesity rates were released. Figures from 2011 show the number of obese people had increased 74 percent over the past 14 years. The percentage of obese adults steadily expanded from 13.6 percent in 1997 to 23.6 percent in 2011. Fielding said the ads were informational and in no way do they represent government telling people what they should eat or how much.

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_21699442/obesity-rise-l-county-health-officials-urge-mealhttp://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_21699442/obesity-rise-l-county-health-officials-urge-mealhttp://photos.dailynews.com/2012/10/photos-los-angeles-county-wants-you-to-be-healthy-lose-weight/http://www.dailynews.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=4691652http://www.dailynews.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=4691650http://www.dailynews.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=4691652http://www.dailynews.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=4691650

10

"This gives them guidance," Fielding said. "Does government have a role? Absolutely, but in the kinds of things we're doing. This information is empowering." But the ads also come at a time when more people have questioned government's role in combating obesity, diabetes and other chronic conditions. Starting next year in New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's soda ban will prohibit restaurants, carts and concessions at movie theaters and stadiums from selling sugary drinks in cups or containers larger than 16 ounces. The new law has branded Bloomberg the "nanny mayor" by some. In California last year, a bill by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Pacoima, required large chain restaurants to post calories on menus and menu boards. Organizations that watch such policies say the choice of foods and the portions people eat are a matter of personal responsibility, not the government's business. "The story of obesity and regulation policy is that there hasn't been any policy that has had an impact," said J. Justin Wilson, senior research analyst for the Washington D.C.-based Center for Consumer Freedom, a nonprofit supported by restaurants and food companies. "There are two sets of policies, the carrot and the stick," Wilson said. "The carrot is when government incentivizes health by building bike paths. The stick is when they try to force us against our will. These have a tendency to not work." Wilson said Los Angeles' "Choose Health L.A." campaign does lean more toward helping people make better decisions through personal responsibility, but he also questioned the need and the cost. The Department of Health spent $1 million on this portion of the "Choose Health L.A." campaign, with funding from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Community Transformation Grant. "You need to know what's in your food to make good choices and I do sometimes feel it's a good idea to advertise how much," Wilson said. "But it does not take a Ph.D. in nutrition to know the difference between a banana and a banana split. You're not going to hear me say this is a terrible invasion of our privacy, but it's sort of like, really, do we need that poster to tell us this?" Fielding agreed there is no easy way to combat obesity through one campaign because it is a complicated issue born of several factors: available food choices, environment, income, and even safety. It took generations for people to realize smoking was unhealthy, he added. "Just like with tobacco (prevention) there wasn't one approach that got us here," Fielding said. "We want people to change their perceptions of what in fact is good food and good portions." Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said the campaign was one of many initiatives planned to help residents make healthier choices, and that includes feeling safe enough in their neighborhoods and communities to walk or bike to work.

11

"We are working with key partners to enhance our neighborhoods so residents feel safe and comfortable walking, biking and taking public transit," he said. "Our aim is to give people access to healthy foods and beverages where they live, work and play." Some residents, however, liked the idea of the ads. Chris Warmsley, an Inglewood resident and chef, said he has seen one of the billboards near Manchester and Prairie avenues. He said he has instilled good eating habits in his children, but he knows it's difficult for other parents. "I'm a professional chef so I'm all for eating healthy, but a lot of single parents don't," Warmsley said. "And the schools have been hit so hard, we don't have kids learning to eat good food. "The only thing about (advertising) portion control is that we've been so programmed to eat large portions that, when you slash their portions, they'll freak out." Aubrey Kiley, a mother of two young children from Hawthorne, said she too liked the overall message. "I think this should have been done a while ago - encouraging portion control," Kiley said. "Instead of eating just fruits and vegetables and meat, you can still eat what you want. Just less of it." Other findings in the L.A. County data released Thursday found: Among those aged 18 to 39 years, the obesity rate increased 104 percent between 1997 and 2011. For those 40 years and older the obesity rate increased 49 percent during the same time. In 2011, the obesity rate was highest among Latinos (31.6 percent) and African- Americans (31 percent), intermediate among whites (18 percent) and lowest among Asians/Pacific Islanders (8.9 percent). L.A. County residents with less formal education had higher rates of obesity: 32.3 percent among those with less than a high school education compared to 15.9 percent among those with a college degree. Obesity rates were higher among people with lower household incomes: 30.2 percent among those with incomes below the federal poverty level compared with 19.9percent among those with incomes at 200 percent or above the federal poverty level. The only good news within the data was that children in fifth, seventh and ninth grades showed a decline in obesity rates over the last several years, from 23.3 percent in 2005 to 22.4 percent in 2010. Health officials remain concerned however, because obesity is a leading risk factor of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart problems. In L.A. County, the percentage of adults who had been diagnosed with diabetes was more than four times higher among those who were obese compared with those who were normal or underweight.

12

The Community Voice County receives $3.5 million grant to promote healthier communities 10/26/2012 http://www.thecommunityvoice.com/article.php?id=5480 Sonoma County received $3.5 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Community Transformation Grants (CTG) today. The funding is the result of an early series of critical investments related to federal health care reform. The grant was awarded to Sonoma County through a highly competitive application process and the County received one of only 40 awards provided nationally. Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Shirlee Zane commented, “This is a groundbreaking example of local communities benefitting from federal health care reform. Our innovation and partnership here in Sonoma County set us apart and the federal government clearly recognizes our efforts as worthy of its investment. These funds will improve the health of everyone in our community as we build a focused prevention effort.” The County will leverage a wide network of community partners to turn its proposal into action, investing over half of the grant funds into local service providers and community organizations, with the remaining funds used to bolster County programs. Specific projects include:

Increasing the number of Baby Friendly hospitals More school staff training to integrate physical activity into the school day Expanding the Safe Routes to School program Supporting the local food system by bringing fresh farm produce to schools and providing

financial Developing nutritional standards for County food Launching a media campaign aimed to reduce the consumption of sugar sweetened

beverages and tobacco use Conducting training for youth in suicide prevention Conducting training in healthy community design for planners, policy makers, and

architects

The projects funded by the CTG grant will reach the county’s entire population. Targeted interventions will focus on low-income, Hispanic/Latino, and youth populations with special attention to underserved rural areas of Sonoma County, pregnant women and newborns. “Health care reform is saving money, saving lives and improving the health and wellbeing of our communities,” said Rep. Mike Thompson. “These funds will help make Sonoma County healthier, and when the folks in our workforce and their children are healthy, productivity is up and costs are down.” Overall, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded approximately $70 million in prevention 40 grants nationwide, all focused on improving the health of small communities. The CTG Program is a comprehensive prevention and wellness initiative launched in 2011 and funded through the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund. These new funds will support areas with fewer than 500,000 people in neighborhoods, school districts, villages, towns, cities, and counties.

http://www.thecommunityvoice.com/article.php?id=5480

13

For more information on the County’s effort to be the healthiest County in California by 2020, please visit www.sonomahealthaction.org.

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/thughes/Desktop/Tim/CTG/www.sonomahealthaction.org

14

Forbes Rob Waters Prevention Fund Helps Rural California County Fight Cancer, Promote Health 11/28/2012 http://www.forbes.com/sites/robwaters/2012/11/28/prevention-fund-helps-rural-california-county-fight-cancer-promote-health/

Hikers using Dragoon Gulch Trail in Sonora, California; photo: Todd Stolp Second in a series Tuolumne County, California is one of more than 60 cities, counties, states, tribes and nonprofit groups that received Community Transformation Grants totaling $107 million last year from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The money for these grants came from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, a funding arm of the Affordable Care Act established to combat disease and lower healthcare costs by promoting wellness and prevention. The Prevention Fund is helping these communities work to prevent diabetes and cancer and to increase the health and fitness of residents. But it’s also under threat as some Congressional leaders press for budget cuts in advance of the so-called fiscal cliff. In my blog this week, I’m examining how health officials and residents in places like Tuolumne are putting money from the Prevention Fund to use. Before you can improve the health of a community, you need to understand its problems. So when Tuolumne, a small county in central California that includes parts of Yosemite National Park, was awarded a $237,000-a-year federal grant last year from the Prevention and Public Health Fund (part of a $5.9 million grant for small and rural counties in California administered by the nonprofit Public Health Institute), the first step Health Officer Todd Stolp took was to dive into existing data. The second was to gather his own. Stolp knew there was a high incidence of cancer so he pored over numbers collected by the California Health Department. They showed that Tuolumne had the state’s highest rate of breast cancer, was near the top of the list in lung and bronchus cancers and had higher than average rates of melanoma, bladder and prostate cancer. Stolp also knew a lot of Tuolumne residents smoked but he had no reliable numbers. And he didn’t know much about residents’ attitudes towards smoking-control efforts. So he used money from the

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robwaters/2012/11/28/prevention-fund-helps-rural-california-county-fight-cancer-promote-health/http://www.forbes.com/sites/robwaters/2012/11/28/prevention-fund-helps-rural-california-county-fight-cancer-promote-health/http://blogs-images.forbes.com/robwaters/files/2012/11/Dragoon-Gulch-Trail-Use-forbes1.jpghttp://blogs-images.forbes.com/robwaters/files/2012/11/Dragoon-Gulch-Trail-Use-forbes1.jpghttp://blogs.forbes.com/gerganakoleva/http://blogs.forbes.com/gerganakoleva/http://www.forbes.com/health/http://blogs-images.forbes.com/robwaters/files/2012/11/Dragoon-Gulch-Trail-Use-forbes1.jpg

15

county’s federal grant to survey people in the county about their use and exposure to tobacco products. What he found surprised him. In half of Tuolumne households, he learned, at least one person consumes some type of tobacco. In mobile home parks, apartments and condominiums, that number rises to two-thirds. A whopping 70 percent of those aged 18 to 29 live with at least one tobacco user, as do about 60 percent of people whose homes include a child. “Overall, tobacco consumption is even higher than we thought,” Stolp says. Many of those who don’t smoke themselves said they were exposed to secondhand smoke—30 percent overall and 40 percent of those in mobile home parks, apartments and condominiums. The majority of people said they’d support regulations to ban smoking in the outdoor common areas of apartment buildings, results that surprised Stolp. “We have a fairly regulation-averse community and we tend to be an independent-thinking group here in the foothills of the Sierras,” Stolp says. The survey results are now informing public debate about smoking regulations and creating awareness about the need to protect residents from secondhand exposure. “For me, this is what public health is all about: providing the community with clear information about health risks so people can begin to act,” Stolp says. Tobacco use remains one of the two top causes of death in Tuolumne, Stolp says; the other is the variety of chronic conditions that result when people eat too much unhealthy food and engage in too little healthy activity. Stolp hopes to get more residents moving their feet instead of using their cars by upgrading a new park in the county’s largest city, Sonora. Part of the county’s CTG grant is going to Sonora to develop a plan to widen and extend Dragoon Gulch Trail, a 2.5 mile loop on the city’s periphery, so it connects to Sonora High School and the downtown commercial district. Improving paths, sidewalks and trails can also make it safer for students to walk to school and residents to hike or jog, Stolp said. In October, two pedestrians were killed on consecutive days when they were hit by cars. One of the key goals of the trail upgrade is to create safe options for active transportation by improving lighting, traffic controls and other measures that have been shown to increase pedestrian safety and reduce injuries and deaths. “We’ve designed our communities for four-wheeled vehicles and seem to have forgotten about the dangers for people using their two legs,” Stolp says. “We want to change that equation and help people get active safely.” All this week, I’ll be using this space to talk about the impact prevention funds are having in communities across the country. If you think prevention is important, you can do your part too by telling your representatives in the House and Senate to support the Affordable Care Act—and the Prevention and Public Health Fund.

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5902/p/dia/action/public/index.sjs?action_KEY=12209

16

The Inyo Register Marilyn Blake Philip

Collaborating for community health 12/26/2012 http://www.inyoregister.com/node/4263

Excuses for not keeping one of the most common new year’s resolutions are rapidly dwindling with the advent of Bishop’s new, free-of-charge community gym in 2013. In fact, said Toiyabe Indian Health Project’s Director of Preventive Medicine Rick Frey, the new 20-piece workout station, outdoor exercise equipment in the Bishop City Park on Park Avenue, south of Bishop Senior Center, is a gift to the entire community from the Bishop Paiute Tribe. The new outdoor exercise equipment is currently being installed on an 1,800 square-foot patch of decomposed granite which will be covered in poly-pave to create a firm, natural floor. The outdoor gym, under its “impressive” shade structure, cost about $60,000, said Frey and should be available for public use “just after the first of the new year. “This pilot project is part of the Community Transformation Grant we received last year from the Center for Disease Control.” Inyo County’s CDC received funding from the Prevention and Public Health Fund which is an aspect of Obamacare’s Affordable Care Act, explained Frey. “Toiyabe’s goal is to reduce chronic disease in Inyo and Mono counties … by 5 percent over the next five years. “One of our strategic directions is to increase active living opportunities. Although Native Americans are our target population, we want to improve policies, systems, and environmental changes that not only help Indians but the general population.” And since Indians are part of the general population, explained Frey, the tribe voted to install the equipment in the city park. The outdoor gym includes an air walker with very little resistance for cardiovascular workout. Lateral pull down/shoulder presses work the back, arm and shoulder muscles, explained Frey, demonstrating. “There are no weights, I use my own body weight as the resistance,” as does all of the equipment. The elliptical machine “is what people pay a lot of money to join a gym for,” said Frey and “the price is right.” There are leg presses for assisted squats; chest presses; static ab boards; and a leg and hand stationary bicycle “with no resistance. It’s pretty easy,” said Frey, hand pedaling like mad, “but I can feel it.” Bi-level chin-up bars also feature dip bars for tricep-working “bent-arm hangs.” At the five-station core fit unit in the center of the al fresco gym, abs and low back muscles can get a workout with small air walkers; an ab cruncher, which, according to Frey, mid-demonstration, “is not for the faint of heart;” and side-swingers. “It’s like skiing,” said Frey, supplying slope-swooshing sounds. According to Frey, the city’s future plans for this location include more soccer fields, a walking path and a bike path that links the out door gym, the city park, the Sterling Heights community area, the shopping center and the community gardens. Decals are on order which will delineate the safe and proper use of each piece of equipment and which muscle groups are involved. The decals will also include QR, or quick read, codes so that users “with a Smart Phone can actually view an instructional video for each piece of equipment,” Frey explained.

http://www.inyoregister.com/node/4263

17

There are also plans for a bench and central signage with safety information and “a big welcome, something like ‘free of charge, be safe, have fun, get healthy,’” grinned Frey. And “if this outdoor gym is successful, we will consider doing something similar in other Inyo and Mono County communities,” said Frey. “The key thing, is that this community-wide health opportunity is the result of a positive partnership between the City of Bishop and Toiyabe Indian Health Project. This is certainly the kind of venture that builds bridges between communities, fosters future opportunities and has real potential to improve general population health.”

18

Delaware

19

US Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware Meredith Rosenthal Congressional delegation, Nemours announce two major federal grants to help build healthier communities

10/18/2012

http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/congressional-delegation-nemours-announce-two-major-federal-grants-to-help-build-healthier-communities/

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and U.S. Rep. John Carney joined officials from Nemours at the Delaware Children’s Museum in Wilmington to announce two federal grants with a combined total of nearly $6 million toward helping build healthier communities. Nemours received a five year cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control to support healthy lifestyles for young children in child care under the Taking Steps to Healthy Success: Early Care and Education Learning Collaboration program. During the first year of funding, the initiative will receive $4.2 million to help early care and education providers adopt nutrition, breastfeeding support, physical activity and screen time policies and practices. This funding is made available through the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund. Over the course of this five year funding period, Nemours will focus work in six states with the goal of reaching 84,500 children. In Delaware, programming focusing on promoting healthy early care and education environments is already underway through private funding by Nemours. The initiatives in the six additional states will be based on the Delaware model.

Nemours was also awarded a two-year grant of nearly $1.7 million through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Community Transformation Grants Small Communities Program to support public health efforts to reduce chronic diseases, promote healthier lifestyles, reduce health disparities and control health care spending. In Delaware, approximately 179,500 people will be served by the grant.

Community partners and seven school districts serving communities with the state’s highest populations of children living in poverty have been identified to develop wellness policies and community infrastructure to support healthy lifestyles. Those districts and partners include: Sussex County Health Promotion Coalition; Christina, Colonial, Red Clay, Capital, Woodbridge, Indian River and Seaford School Districts; American Lung Association-Delaware Region; Delaware Ecumenical Council on Children and Families; Delaware State University Center for Health Promotion; University of Delaware College of Health Sciences; and University of Delaware Center for Alcohol and Drug Studies. By focusing on where people live, work, learn and play, the Community Transformation Grant program is expected to improve the health of more than four out of 10 U.S. citizens—about 130 million Americans.

“The key to getting better results and lowering costs in our health care system is better coordination of care and increasing our investment in prevention to avoid illness and injury whenever possible,” said Senator Tom Carper. “With the help of these grants, Nemours can implement these innovative programs to help prevent children from getting sick in the first place. That’s a win-win for the health of their patients and the health of our economy.”

“Investing in collaborative, preventative programs saves lives and keeps our kids and our community healthier,” Senator Chris Coons said. “Building healthy communities takes hard work and collaboration, but it also takes resources. It’s terrific news that Nemours received these grants in support of its efforts to improve the lives of so many in Delaware and the region.”

http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/congressional-delegation-nemours-announce-two-major-federal-grants-to-help-build-healthier-communities/http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/congressional-delegation-nemours-announce-two-major-federal-grants-to-help-build-healthier-communities/http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/congressional-delegation-nemours-announce-two-major-federal-grants-to-help-build-healthier-communities/

20

“A focus on prevention is critical to reducing the nation’s healthcare costs, and allowing individuals to live longer, more productive lives,” said Congressman Carney. “The best way to achieve that goal is by teaching young people healthy habits that will stick with them as they grow older. Nemours is the standard-bearer in Delaware and across the nation for reaching children at an early age and teaching them important lessons about nutrition and physical activity. I’m excited that the funding announced today will support and enhance their efforts.”

“Reaching kids early is the key to combating childhood obesity,” said Debbie Chang, Vice President of Policy & Prevention at Nemours. “Providing early care and education providers with the tools they need to help families develop healthy habits will go a long way toward ensuring the long term health and wellness of children.”

Nemours is an internationally recognized children’s health system that owns and operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, along with major pediatric specialty clinics in Delaware, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Established as The Nemours Foundation through the legacy of Alfred I. du Pont, Nemours offers pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy and prevention programs to families in the communities it serves.

21

Delaware Online Melissa Nann Burke

Grant aims to give more kids appetite for wellness 10/18/2012 http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20121019/NEWS/310190042/Grant-aims-give-more-kids-appetite-wellness?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home&gcheck=1

When kids at BayHealth Child Care Center in Dover want a second helping of fruit, the teacher suggests a veggie instead. If the child declines, a teacher encourages him to try. “Take a ‘no-thank-you’ bite,” the center’s director, Brenda Kibler, said. “If you don’t like it, put it back.” In the last year, the center installed self-serve water coolers in every classroom, took juice off its menu and limited daily “screen” time (TV and computer use) to less than 30 minutes. Staff members measure a minimum 120 minutes of physical activity a day for each preschooler, preferably outdoors. “At first, the kids said, ‘Where’s the chicken nuggets?’ But it’s been a year, and they don’t expect nuggets or french fries anymore,” Kibler said. “We just don’t eat it here.” The changes came after Kibler and other staffers took part in training sessions on how to support healthy lifestyles in toddlers, preschool-age children and their families. The aim is to instill healthy habits at an early age and influence parents’ thinking – from breastfeeding to portion control. Nearly 27 percent of American children ages 2 to 5 are overweight or obese. The model program, developed by Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital in Delaware, will be replicated in six other states over five years through an agreement between Nemours and the Centers for Disease Control. Nemours officials and Delaware’s congressional delegation announced a $4.2-million grant Thursday to fund the first year. The funding will come from the Prevention and Public Health Fund established by President Obama’s healthcare law, officials said. They also discussed a $1.7-million grant that Nemours will use to partner with community and public-health agencies and seven Delaware school districts to develop wellness policies in Christina, Colonial, Red Clay, Capital, Woodbridge, Indian River and Seaford. “For example, we could work with the Division of Social Services to establish school-friendly hours, so that parents could more easily update information or apply for food stamps,” Nemours spokeswoman Tavanya Lockett said. Nemours executive Debbie Chang emphasized the strategy of collaborating with state and community stakeholders, building on existing systems and training educators who interact with children and their families every day.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20121019/NEWS/310190042/Grant-aims-give-more-kids-appetite-wellness?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home&gcheck=1http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20121019/NEWS/310190042/Grant-aims-give-more-kids-appetite-wellness?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home&gcheck=1http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20121019/NEWS/310190042/Grant-aims-give-more-kids-appetite-wellness?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home&gcheck=1

22

Through five, free training sessions, the Early Care and Education Learning Collaboration program will engage early childcare providers in New Jersey, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Kansas and Missouri, encouraging them to adopt policies and practices such as those implemented at BayHealth Child Care Center. “Part of this is increasing the providers’ knowledge, and the childcare staff modeling healthy behavior,” said Chang, Nemours vice president for policy and prevention. “Sitting down with the children for a family-style meal. Choosing water over sweet beverages, low-fat over whole milk.” Bayhealth staff ask kids to consider whether they’re still hungry before serving seconds. They’ve held portion-control demos for parents to illustrate appropriate servings for 1- to 3-year-olds. “One mother of a 6-month-old baby burst into tears. She said, ‘I never knew I was overfeeding my child,’” Kibler said. Some parents chaffed at the change. A doctor complained his kid didn’t want to eat in front of the TV anymore but sit around the table. Another parent questioned why toddlers can’t watch TV while at daycare. “We’re getting paid to do something different, and we don’t want these kids to be sedentary,” Kibler said. “Nemours changed our ways of thinking. They gave us the tools we need to fight childhood obesity. But we have to do the work.”

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20121019/NEWS/310190042/Grant-aims-give-more-kids-appetite-wellness?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1

23

Georgia

24

Times-Georgian Winston Jones Tanner gets $1.22 million grant from CDC 10/6/2012 http://www.times-georgian.com/view/full_story/20382617/article-Tanner-gets--1-22-million-grant-from-CDC?instance=west_ga_news

Tanner Health System has received a $1.22 million Community Transformation Grant for use in prevention, chronic disease and wellness efforts in Carroll, Haralson and Heard counties. The Tanner grant is part of $70 million awarded to 40 community non-profit programs by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its Small Communities Program to expand clinical and preventive services, affecting about 9.2 million Americans. Tanner was the only Georgia program and only one of eight hospital systems in the country to receive the grant. Loy Howard, Tanner Health System president and CEO, said the funds will be used to support efforts to reduce obesity, improve nutritional awareness, increase physical activity, reduce tobacco usage and improve the emotional well-being in the three counties. “This is the largest grant in our history,” Howard said. “The significance of this grant is that it’s the beginning steps of Tanner starting to transform its mission. Since its beginning, Tanner has been centered on taking care of people who are sick or having babies. Like most healthcare systems, we have not done in a lot in the area of wellness, specifically addressing chronic diseases, because of the reimbursement system. We realize we’re going to have to help our citizens earlier in their healthcare situations.” Tanner earlier this year, approved a five-year strategic plan, which includes development of a new community health division of Tanner Health System to focus on prevention, wellness, chronic disease management and early intervention efforts. This new division will be led by Denise Taylor, senior vice president and chief community health strategy and brand officer. “Our communities in West Georgia are suffering from significant health issues that are literally cutting lives short,” Taylor said. “Chronic disease, tobacco use, poor nutrition and lack of exercise are taking a tremendous toll on our region. These funds will go a long way to help us bring a message of health and hope to our neighbors in Carroll, Haralson and Heard counties. Tanner will be putting its resources directly where our residents live, work, learn and play, providing education, services and practical tools to help residents build healthier lifestyles.” Taylor said programs funded by this new grant will add to the community health emphasis already started with Tanner’s Get Healthy West Georgia initiative launched earlier this year, funded by a Community Foundation of West Georgia grant and private donors. She said in less than six months, that program has enrolled more than 1,200 community members who are now actively engaged in improving their lifestyles through diet and exercise. She said the CDC funds will be used in 14 different initiatives in areas of tobacco cessation, active living, healthy eating, preventive services and emotional well being. “We’ll be doing things like building community gardens and going into childcare centers, helping them teach children about healthy eating,” she said. “We’ll also develop programs for school

http://www.times-georgian.com/view/full_story/20382617/article-Tanner-gets--1-22-million-grant-from-CDC?instance=west_ga_newshttp://www.times-georgian.com/view/full_story/20382617/article-Tanner-gets--1-22-million-grant-from-CDC?instance=west_ga_news

25

systems to talk about not smoking or chewing tobacco, how to eat healthier and have more active lives.” She said there will also be community marketing campaigns on healthy living and work with farmers and restaurants to teach people how to buy and prepare healthy food. Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health and state health officer, was on hand Friday afternoon for Tanner’s grant announcement. “The purpose of this grant is to work to reduce crises and get some preventive strategies in place to help us have a healthy community,” Fitzgerald said. “In the end, that will help reduce rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke, and also help with the obesity issue that’s going across America right now. If we’re going to live our normal life span, we have to make choices. We have to eat better, move more and don’t smoke. “I’m enormously pleased and proud of Tanner Health System for being the only one in the state to receive this grant,” she said. “And certainly, Public Health wrote a letter of endorsement for this grant and we supported Tanner’s application. We’re dedicated on being a partner with Tanner in this and we certainly have data we can share and an epidemiologist to help analyze things.”

26

Atlanta Business Chronicle Urvaksh Karkaria Tanner gets $1.22M in federal grant 10/8/2012 http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/blog/a-healthy-conversation/2012/10/tanner-gets-122m-in-federal-grant.html

Tanner Health System was awarded nearly $1.22 million in federal funding aimed at reducing rates of obesity, improve nutritional awareness, increase physical activity, reduce tobacco use prevalence for residents of Carroll, Haralson and Heard counties. Earlier this year, Tanner’s board approved a five-year strategic plan. A key strategy of the new plan is the development of a new community health division of Tanner Health System, which will focus on prevention, wellness, chronic disease management and early intervention efforts. The federal grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Community Transformation Grant Small Communities program will support the efforts of the new community health division through programs and services emphasizing tobacco-free living, active living and healthy eating, high impact quality clinical and preventive services, social and emotional wellness, and healthy and safe physical environments. Tanner was the only organization in Georgia to receive one of the grants, and one of only eight hospital systems in the entire country. A total of forty grants were awarded to a variety of non-profit organizations nationally.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/blog/a-healthy-conversation/2012/10/tanner-gets-122m-in-federal-grant.htmlhttp://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/blog/a-healthy-conversation/2012/10/tanner-gets-122m-in-federal-grant.html

27

Illinois

28

Peoria Journal Star Pam Adams Quality Quest for Health gets $2.4 million grant 9/30/2012 http://www.pjstar.com/news/x383194286/Quality-Quest-for-Health-gets-2-4-million-grant

PEORIA — A year-round farmers' market planned at Carver Community Center and more community gardens in Tazewell County are among dozens of projects or programs that will receive funding from a $2.4 million federal grant awarded to Quality Quest for Health of Illinois. The two-year Community Transformation Grant, funded with money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is part of the Affordable Care Act's efforts to reduce healthcare costs by funding education and preventive programs. Quality Quest and 14 other agencies, Partnership for a Healthy Community, intend to reduce death rates and improve health outcomes for more than 300,000 residents in Peoria and Tazewell counties. "We're using the money to target some of the things that are the leading causes of death in Peoria and Tazewell," said Bonnie Paris, program development manager for Quality Quest. Heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death nationally and in the two counties, according to Paris. But in Peoria and Tazewell, strokes and chronic lower respiratory diseases typically associated with smoking also rank high, she said. Collaborating agencies will address key issues aimed at reducing death rates, including reducing tobacco use, promoting breastfeeding and developing more programs to promote proper nutrition and physical activity in schools and the community. "So many different things fall under this grant deserve to be highlighted," Paris said. "We're just starting to talk to our collaborating partners to get projects moving." Partners include Central Illinois Wellness Council, Tazewell and Peoria County Health Departments, Hult Center for Health Education, YMCA, city of Peoria, Family Core, Heartland Community Health Clinic, Red Cross Central Illinois Chapter, and the outcomes research department at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria.

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x383194286/Quality-Quest-for-Health-gets-2-4-million-granthttp://www.pjstar.com/news/x383194286/Quality-Quest-for-Health-gets-2-4-million-grant

29

The Daily Republican Leichan Cleary Local leaders want healthy neighbors 10/29/2012 http://www.dailyrepublicannews.com/article/20121029/NEWS/121029130

Carterville – Leaders from all different sectors of the southern Illinois region learned about the area's health data, what they can do to improve the health of the community and ongoing projects that promote healthy lifestyles. This was discussed at the Franklin-Williamson Building a Healthier Community: A Leader's Forum, which met at John A. Logan Community College on Thurs. Oct. 25. Woody Thorne, of Southern Illinois Healthcare, gave a presentation about building healthier communities; working for policy, systems and environmental change. Thorne spoke about southern Illinois' health data. 28.7 percent of citizens of Illinois are obese while 29.4 percent of citizens in southern Illinois have been determined as obese. Adults who smoke in Illinois is 16.9 percent while adults that smoke in Williamson County and Franklin is significantly higher. For Williamson County the percent that smoke is 27.4 percent and is 28.3 percent in Franklin County. In order to make our communities healthier, change is necessary. "Social culture and physical forces conspire against change," Thorne said. He said we can reach the goal of healthier communities through changing policy, system and environmental changes. Thorne spoke about challenges we face in the community that affect this. Some obstacles he discussed included, "The prevalence of fast food and portion sizes." He said that we may be experiencing an increased availability of leisure activity that does not necessarily promote a healthy lifestyle, "Are we building communities that people are able to walk in?" He emphasized that as a community, we can make a difference. He suggested working towards more smoke-free environments and physical activity. Southern Illinois has made an effort to promote healthier communities already, which were discussed at the forum. There are over 40 START walking paths established due to the efforts of Southern Illinois Healthcare and the American Heart Association along with Jackson County Healthy Communities Coalition and the Franklin-Williamson Healthy Communities Coalition, which are posted online for citizens. Also, the The Coordinated Approach To Child Health, (CATCH,) program has been implemented in 41 schools in southern Illinois. CATCH focuses on nutrition and physical activity for elementary school children in the Illinois Delta Region.

http://www.dailyrepublicannews.com/article/20121029/NEWS/121029130http://www.dailyrepublicannews.com/article/20121029/NEWS/121029130

30

Promoting locally grown food and promoting apples and milk in Happy Meals are other things that have been done. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) received a $25 million Community Transformation Grant, (CTG,) from CDC for five years. All the health departments in the southernmost 16 counties are partnering and receiving funds. They are focusing on preventing chronic disease by building healthier communities through policy, system and environmental changes. After the presentation, participants in the forum split into groups and talked about different things they were doing at their workplaces in order to be healthier and more physically active. They also discussed things they could work on and change within their workplaces and the community to promote healthier lifestyles. Once the groups were done discussing, each of them presented what they talked about to the rest of the attendees. Robin Koehl, of Franklin-Williamson Bi-County Health Department spoke to the group before the forum ended, "I am impressed with what is already being done." She said that something to think about is where to go from here, "We want work to continue." There will be a Franklin-Williamson Healthy Communities Coalition, (FWHCC,) meeting Dec. 20 at 12:00 p.m. in Marion at Man Tra Con. The coalition meets every other month. For more information go to: www.commmunityhealthcalendar@siu.edu

mailto:www.commmunityhealthcalendar@siu.edu

31

Centegra HealthSystems McHenry County Board approves acceptance of We Choose Health funds 11/6/2012 http://centegra.org/mchenry-county-board-approves-acceptance-of-we-choose-health-funds/

The McHenry County Board recently approved the McHenry County Department of Health’s (MCDH) acceptance of almost $300,000 in grant money. The We Choose Health grant funds a statewide initiative to implement proactive health programs in three important ways, including healthy eating and active living, smoke-free living and a safe environment. The program is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Community Transformation Grant (CTG) to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce health disparities. “I want to congratulate McHenry County Department of Health on receiving one of 21 We Choose Health grants and encourage everyone in the community to get involved in the exciting new programs coming your way,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck. Centegra Health System dietitian Julie Patterson is part of McHenry County’s Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) obesity work group that collaborated to apply for the multi-year grant. She worked with professionals from MCDH, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital and Sherman Health to develop a strategy for combatting obesity in McHenry County. “We are very excited to have received board approval and I am so grateful for our group’s collaboration,” Patterson said. “It’s a testament to the value of having major organizations work together to improve the health of our community.” Partnering with community-based organizations, funding will be used to support the existing Coordinated School Health program that focuses on improving overall health of the school community, establish safe walking and biking routes to school, further policies for smoke-free outdoor spaces such as parks, create joint use agreements between schools, communities and groups to increase the number of facilities and areas for physical activity, and make roads more accessible for pedestrian traffic. “In McHenry County, about six out of every 10 people are overweight or obese, according to the 2007 Behavioral Risk Surveillance Survey,” Patterson said. “This grant will help us modify local infrastructure as well as support programs that will help people get active and improve their health. It also will help us create a local infrastructure to help people get active and improve their health.” Created by the Affordable Care Act, the CTG program supports states and communities that tackle root causes of poor health so Americans can lead healthier, more productive lives. For more information about We Choose Health, call MCDH at 815-334-4510.

http://centegra.org/mchenry-county-board-approves-acceptance-of-we-choose-health-funds/http://centegra.org/mchenry-county-board-approves-acceptance-of-we-choose-health-funds/http://www.idph.state.il.us/wechoosehealth/index.htmhttp://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/health/Pages/mcdhindex.aspx

32

Quad-Cities Online Health Dept. works with Housing Authority on grant initiatives 12/27/2012 http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=621215

The Henry and Stark County Health Departments is pleased to announce it has been working with the Henry County Housing Authority on "Smoke Free" initiatives as a part of its new "We Choose Health" Grant. "We Choose Health" is a multi-year Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) initiative to encourage and support obesity and tobacco prevention in Illinois Communities. IDPH received a Community Transformation Grant (CTG) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work with communities to implement proactive health programs. Alison Womack, Health Department "We Choose Health" Grant Community Health Advisor/Specialist notes, "We are pleased to be working with the Henry County Housing Authority to help with smoke free initiatives in its multi-housing units. The truth is that secondhand smoke exposure poses serious health threats to children and adults. According to the US Surgeon General, there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. Eliminating indoor smoking is the only way to protect nonsmokers from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke. For residents of multi-unit housing (e.g., apartment buildings and condominiums), secondhand smoke can be a major concern given that it can migrate from other units through ventilation systems, plumbing, electrical lines and doorways." "Smoke-Free" Initiatives that the Housing Authority is currently undertaking include:

Instituting smoking huts at their four high-rises (Maple City-Geneseo, Lincoln-Galva, and Hollis and Washington in Kewanee).

Making outdoor cigarette butt receptacles available at their multi-unit housing and tracking the frequency of cleaning and disposal of these receptacles.

Adopting and approving a smoke free policy by the Housing Authority's Board of Directors. Womack adds, "These are just a starting points for us. Other grant goals and objectives include: coordinating educational sessions and smoking cessation sessions; promotion of the Illinois Tobacco Quitline; and monitoring the volume and use of nicotine replacement therapy products among tenants. We look forward to working with the Housing Authority in instituting more proactive "Smoke Free" initiates. After all, such efforts can reduce the risk of heart attacks, stroke, lung cancer and premature death in adults. And in children, they reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), respiratory infections, asthma, and ear infections." For more information on the "We Choose Health" grant offered through the Henry and Stark County Health Departments call the Department at (309) 852-0197 or visit our website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or find us on Facebook at Henry and Stark County Health Departments.

http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=621215http://www.henrystarkhealth.com/

33

East Peoria Times Courier Extension works on grant 1/2/2013 http://www.eastpeoriatimescourier.com/article/20130102/NEWS/130109976/1001/NEWS

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded more than $100 million to 48 national, state, and local organizations to prevent disease and improve health in local communities. Peoria and Tazewell counties were recipients of one of these Community Transformation Grants for Small Communities. The local collaborative group, Central Illinois Wellness Council, was awarded $2,404,708 for the period covering September 2012 through September 2014. Why are the Community Transformation Grants so important? The Center for Disease Control has stated that chronic diseases cause seven out of 10 deaths each year with nearly half of adults having at least one chronic illness. Three out of four health care dollars in the U.S. are related to chronic disease and these largely preventable diseases are more common in low-income neighborhoods. Some of the key health issues affecting low-income populations are obesity, nutrition, and physical activity. What role does Extension have in this initiative? Healthy nutrition and physical activity are the major themes of Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program delivered to youth and low-income adults with young children. Extension teaches nutrition education in most District 150 schools through in-school and after-school programs. Extension reaches low-income parents with young children in their homes or in group settings. Two educators from Unit No. 11, Margaret Cover and Mekenzie Lewis, are currently serving on the education committee for the Central Illinois Wellness Council. The education committee is focusing on two main areas: 1) nutrition education in the classroom and after school and 2) involving parents of school-aged children. These two areas mirror the major areas covered by Extension in its EFNEP programs. Other members of the committee include Bradley University, the Red Cross, Hult Education Center, and the Peoria Health Department. By sharing resources and expertise, this partnership provides more cost-effective and complete programming for the community. For more information about the EFNEP Program in the Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit, please contact Margaret Cover, Extension Educator, EFNEP, at mcover@illinois.edu or 685-3140.

http://www.eastpeoriatimescourier.com/article/20130102/NEWS/130109976/1001/NEWShttp://www.eastpeoriatimescourier.com/article/20130102/NEWS/130109976/1001/NEWSmailto:mcover@illinois.edu

34

Indiana

35

Evansville Courier & Press Megan Erbacher Foundation grant to help children, trainees of 4C of Southern Indiana 1/6/2013 http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/jan/06/4c-grant-will-aid-kids-and-more/

The end of 2012 was highly celebrated at 4C of Southern Indiana Inc., as it received $465,000 funding from the Welborn Baptist Foundation. While this is not the largest grant the organization has received, Jennifer Gronotte, the 4C president and CEO, praised the foundation for investing in early childhood education. "To see the importance of early childhood education and, secondly, 4C's work in this area recognized with an award of this magnitude is inspiring and uplifting," Gronotte said. Short for Community Coordinated Child Care, 4C is the official free child care resource and referral agency for Southwestern Indiana, serving 14 counties. According to Gronotte, research shows the returns on early childhood education can range from $4 to $16 for every dollar spent. The total grant is being divided among 4C's individual programs and activities: $20,000 to Capacity-Building support, $25,000 to License Exempt support, $45,000 to Lending Library, $115,000 to Comprehensive Mission support, $119,000 to Power of Parenting and $141,000 to Play & Learn. Gronotte said each of 4C's evidence-based programs meet unique needs in the community and in all serve more than 8,000 young children "helping to ensure that they enter school healthy and ready to learn." The organization is also funded through the Indiana FSSA, including Paths to QUALITY. Since 1969, 4C has taught parents how to recognize and find high quality early care and education. The services available at 4C are not limited to families with lower incomes. "For families, 4C is a one-stop shop for assistance in finding high quality early care and education and, for those who qualify by income, help with paying for child care," Gronotte said. For early care and education providers, 4C is a resource for professional development. The organization offers face-to-face and web-based training, complemented with on-site technical assistance. Forty-six percent of the local early care and education workforce used services from 4C last year. In addition to this grant, Gronotte said 4C partnered with the Welborn Baptist Foundation and the Southwest Indiana Healthy Communities Partnership to land a $3 million Community Transformation Grant funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "4C's role in this grant is to assist 40 local early care and education providers in improving the quality of nutrition in the meals they serve and increasing the amount of physical activity in their programs," Gronotte said. "Participating providers will receive training, on-site technical assistance and resources such as kitchen equipment, outdoor play equipment and curriculum."

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/jan/06/4c-grant-will-aid-kids-and-more/http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/jan/06/4c-grant-will-aid-kids-and-more/

36

Iowa

37

KILJ Radio Theresa Rose Healthy Communities helps make downtown Mt. Pleasant safer for walkers and bikers

11/29/2012

http://kilj.com/2012/11/news/healthy-communities-helps-make-downtown-mt-pleasant-safer-for-walkers-and-bikers/

Healthy Henry County Communities is pleased to announce that through collaboration with the

City of Mt. Pleasant they were able to use grant money to purchase three timed LED pedestrian

crosswalk signals for downtown Mt. Pleasant. The signals were installed recently along

Washington Street at the intersections of Jefferson Street, Main Street and Adams Street. These

new timed crosswalk signals will help improve the safety of those intersections for walkers and

bikers. The installation timing coincides with the busy holiday season as more residents are

walking downtown to do their holiday shopping.

Healthy Communities used money from a five-year Community Transformation Grant (CTG)

aimed at increasing the cardiovascular health of all residents. Improving walkability and bike-

ability throughout Henry County is a major focus of the grant. Work will continue in the spring

with the improvement of Marion Street from Washington Street to the Aquatic Center providing

a safe route for kids to travel. New trail signs for East Lake Park are also in the works.

“Although we started working with Mt. Pleasant we hope to work with all of the communities in

our county to improve walkability and bike-ability,” explains Lindsay Remick, CTG

Coordinator. “We will continue to reach out to all communities over the next four years to

identify projects that fit within our guidelines.”

In addition to improving sidewalks and trails, the CTG also focuses on worksite wellness;

healthy eating in vending machines, convenience stores and restaurants; smoke-free multi-unit

housing; chronic disease self-management and increased participation in preventive screenings.

Restaurants are currently being contacted to offer an assessment by the Henry County Health

Center Dietitian and incentives to help promote healthier items. “Our ultimate goal is to put in

place policy and environmental changes that will be sustainable even after this grant

ends,”Remick states.

Healthy Communities is working closely on this grant with Henry County Health Center and the

Henry County Extension office, but also with new partners such as businesses and restaurants.

“Healthy Communities has always been about bringing people together to achieve great things,”

explains Kelly Carr, Healthy Communities Coordinator. “This grant builds upon that principle as

we form new partnerships and work together to make Henry County a healthier place.”

The Community Transformation Grant is made possible with funding from the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention. Henry County is one of 26 counties receiving this grant through

the Iowa Department of Public Health. For more information or to learn how you can be

involved contact Lindsay Remick at 319-385-6595 or remickl@hchc.org.

http://kilj.com/2012/11/news/healthy-communities-helps-make-downtown-mt-pleasant-safer-for-walkers-and-bikers/http://kilj.com/2012/11/news/healthy-communities-helps-make-downtown-mt-pleasant-safer-for-walkers-and-bikers/

38

Kansas

39

The Wichita Eagle Kelsey Ryan Greater Wichita YMCA wins 2.4 million federal health grant 10/17/2012 http://www.kansas.com/2012/10/17/2535964/greater-wichita-ymca-wins-24-million.html

The Greater Wichita YMCA, on behalf of the Health and Wellness Coalition of Wichita, was recently awarded a $2.4 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services. The grant was one of 40 Community Transformation Grants distributed nationwide. In total, the U.S. federal agency handed out $70 million in grants. “We’re elated,” said Mim McKenzie, executive director of community development for the Greater Wichita YMCA. “We hope this creates more opportunities for us.” In its grant application, the coalition addressed four areas it will target with funds: nutrition, physical activity, obesity and tobacco use. McKenzie said the grant money will go toward several initiatives in town over the next two years, including:

• Advancing plans for the city’s master bike plan for bike paths through the city as well as the pedestrian master plan to encourage physical activity.

• Community health awareness events. • Continuing and expanding the breastfeeding in the work place initiative with the

Sedgwick County Health Department to continue to provide equipment for moms. • Creating mini-grants through the coalition for food pantries and soup kitchens to

apply for money to purchase refrigerators for fresh fruit storage. Mini-grants will also be available for farmers markets, which will be able to apply for funds for to buy EBT machines that also run debit cards to make fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible for low-income families.

• Working with the Parks and Recreation Department to provide funding for signage in local parks to indicate where people can and cannot smoke and with the city housing department to improve non-smoking area signage in public housing.

• Assessing food systems in town to determine where more fruits and vegetables might be needed, like in the downtown area or in schools.

Lavonta Williams, a city council member who is involved in the coalition, said it will require cooperation and coordination among a variety of groups to bring the plans to fruition. “This will take everything we do to the next level in building a healthy community,” said Williams, who has been involved in the coalition for several years. The coalition, under the umbrella of the YMCA, was established in 2004 through a $20,000 grant by the Kansas Health Foundation. It is made up of more than 80 area health and service businesses and individuals that focus on promoting physical activity and good nutrition in the community.

http://www.kansas.com/2012/10/17/2535964/greater-wichita-ymca-wins-24-million.htmlhttp://www.kansas.com/2012/10/17/2535964/greater-wichita-ymca-wins-24-million.html

40

Maine

41

Bangor Daily News Mario Moretto With $1.3M grant, Healthy Acadia triples income over 2010 9/27/2012 http://bangordailynews.com/2012/09/27/health/with-1-3m-gift-healthy-acadia-triples-income-over-2010/

BAR HARBOR, Maine — Cha-ching. That’s the sound of a local nonprofit receiving a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a collaborative project aimed at boosting the health of Hancock and Washington counties. Healthy Acadia — in partnership with University of New England, Washington County-One Community and the Passamaquoddy Tribal Council at Indian Township — will use the grant on a slew of programs and initiatives aimed at “promoting healthy eating and physical activity, access to quality preventive health services and social and emotional wellness,” according to a news release. The grant represents only about 2 percent of the pot of federal money handed out through the CDC Community Transformation Grant program this year, but it’s more than three times Healthy Acadia’s total revenue in 2010, the most recent year for which tax information is readily available. The nonprofit will receive half the total sum of the grant this year, and half next year, according to Executive Director Doug Michael. Healthy Acadia will work with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to allocate money to programs and initiatives throughout the two-county area with the goal of improving the health of Down East Mainers, Michael said on Thursday. “We will be working with partners to clarify where the most strategic investments are, and we’ll steward those resource to launch impactful projects to make it easier for people to lead healthier lives,” he said. Michael said it’s the largest grant the organization has ever received. “Not only have the partners joined together to leverage resources, but they’ve also collaborated closely with the communities that will be impacted by their efforts,” he said. “I believe this project can make a real difference.” According to the press release from U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, who announced the DHHS grant award, the collaborative partners will:

• Increase the number of community outlets providing access to healthy, affordable food and increase the use of farm-to-school production models;

• Work with schools to promote walking and biking to schools and expand options for physical activity in communities;

• Work with schools to implement coordinated health programs throughout the region;

• And increase transportation options and grow a network of volunteer drivers to help patients get to doctor’s appointments.

DHHS claims the $70 million given out through this particular grant program will benefit 9.2 million Americans in 40 communities.

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/09/27/health/with-1-3m-gift-healthy-acadia-triples-income-over-2010/http://bangordailynews.com/2012/09/27/health/with-1-3m-gift-healthy-acadia-triples-income-over-2010/http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2011/270/548/2011-270548057-07ef0468-9.pdfhttp://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2011/270/548/2011-270548057-07ef0468-9.pdfhttp://www.cdc.gov/communitytransformation/index.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/communitytransformation/index.htm

42

Maine Development Foundation Maine Development Foundation Awarded $1.6 Million to Launch Healthy Maine Streets

10/2/2012

http://www.mdf.org/publications/Maine-Development-Foundation-Awarded-16-Million-to-Launch-Healthy-Maine-Streets/610/

Augusta, Maine: The Maine Development Foundation, specifically its Maine Downtown Center, in collaboration with MCD Public Health, announced today it has been awarded a grant of $1.641 million to launch Healthy Maine Streets, a program to support health and wellness in Maine’s small communities. This grant is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Community Transformation Grants (CTG) to support public health efforts to reduce chronic diseases, promote healthier lifestyles, reduce health disparities, and control health care spending in small communities. Healthy Maine Streets will build on the Maine Downtown Center’s well-established downtown revitalization framework of Main Street Maine organizations and Maine Downtown Network programs to leverage community health improvements in a number of mostly rural towns, with a combined population of 180,000. Through Healthy Maine Streets, local Wellness Councils will be established to addresses disparate health access and outcomes for employees of small businesses, which are the heart and soul of small town Main Streets. These downtown organizations are woven into the fabric of the community, and improvements will be felt by employees, their families, customers, and the community. Overall, HHS awarded approximately $70 million in prevention grants to 40 awardees focused on improving the health of small communities across the nation. Administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the CTG Program is a comprehensive prevention and wellness initiative launched in 2011 and funded through the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund. By focusing on where people live, work, learn, and play, the CTG program is expected to improve the health of more than four out of 10 U.S. citizens – about 130 million Americans. These new funds will support areas with fewer than 500,000 people in neighborhoods, school districts, villages, towns, cities, and countries. Awardees represent organizations committed to improving health from a multitude of sectors. The Community Transformation Grant will bring communities and small businesses together to create a wellness program in the heart of Maine’s downtowns that is shared by small businesses and eventually reshapes our communities into more healthy, vibrant places to work and live. The program addresses the critical need to improve health and wellness in Maine communities and the high cost of health care for small businesses. “This new program will help create healthier, more productive communities and is a value added service for Main Street Maine and Maine Downtown Network communities,” stated Roxanne Eflin, Maine Downtown Center/MDF Senior Program Director. Support from the business community, school districts, community-based organizations, and other non-traditional partners is critical to reducing deaths and health costs due to heart attacks, strokes, cancer, diabetes, and other serious health problems. Small businesses may be eligible for Health Insurance Rebates and State of Maine tax credit and to be an employer of choice improving employee retention and recruitment. Awardees will conduct activities in one or more areas that contribute to the overall goals of the CTG

http://www.mdf.org/publications/Maine-Development-Foundation-Awarded-16-Million-to-Launch-Healthy-Maine-Streets/610/http://www.mdf.org/publications/Maine-Development-Foundation-Awarded-16-Million-to-Launch-Healthy-Maine-Streets/610/

43

program and help achieve positive changes in one or more of the following outcome measures: 1) weight, 2) proper nutrition, 3) physical activity, 4) tobacco use, and 5) social and emotional well-being. “MCD Public Health is proud and pleased to be collaborating with the Maine Development Foundation on the Healthy Maine Streets project. Like MDF, we have a long history of working to support communities in Maine. MCDPH brings expertise in population health and wellness, including innovative leadership, to this new opportunity for Maine downtowns. MCDPH and MDF share a heartfelt mission to improve the quality of life in Maine. Through Healthy Maine Streets, downtown leaders will demonstrate that by helping themselves and their communities be well, downtowns also do well,” said Kate Perkins, Director, MCD Public Health. The Community Transformation Grants are one piece of a broader effort by the Obama Administration to address the health and well-being of U.S. communities through initiatives such as the President’s Childhood Obesity Task Force, the First Lady’s Let’s Move! Campaign, the National Prevention Strategy, the National Quality Strategy, and HHS’ Million Hearts ™ initiative. The Prevention and Public Health Fund, as part of the Affordable Care Act, is supporting the CTG program and other initiatives designed to expand and sustain the necessary capacity to prevent chronic diseases, detect them early, manage conditions, before they become severe, and provide states and communities the resources they need to promote healthy living. ### THE HEALTHY MAINE STREETS PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS MISSION STATEMENTS The Maine Development Foundation (MDF) drives sustainable, long-term economic growth for Maine. MDF stimulates new ideas, develops leaders, and provides common ground for solving problems and advancing issues. The Maine Downtown Center serves as the state coordinator for the National Main Street Center. The Center’s mission is to advance preservation-based economic development in downtowns across Maine. Visit www.mdf.org for information. With a mission to improve the health and well-being of people everywhere, MCD Public Health works in partnership with communities, organizations, and government agencies to create compassionate and impactful health programs, provide technical assistance, and foster a community of innovation and collaboration. Visit www.mcdph.org for information.

44

FenceViewer Cyndi Wood Healthy Arcadia lands 1.3M grant 10/8/2012 http://fenceviewer.com/site/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=77305:healthy-acadia-lands-$13m-grant&Itemid=938

ELLSWORTH — A local health coalition is receiving a healthy boost to its bottom line thanks to a $1.3-million grant. Healthy Acadia, in partnership with the Passamaquoddy Tribal Council, Washington County-One Community and the University of New England, has been awarded a $1.3-million U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Community Transformation Grant. The organizations will use the two-year grant to improve health throughout Hancock and Washington counties. “We are honored to have this opportunity to work in collaboration with our partners to make healthy living more accessible to all throughout Downeast Maine,” said Doug Michael, executive director of Healthy Acadia. Grant funding will promote healthy eating, physical activity, access to preventive health services and social and emotional wellness — all continuing priorities for Bar Harbor-based Healthy Acadia. “Our mission is basically to empower people to build healthy communities across the Downeast and Acadia regions,” Michael said. Part of the nonprofit’s work is fulfilling responsibilities as Hancock County’s only Healthy Maine Partnership. Last spring, in an effort to consolidate partnerships statewide, the state CDC awarded a single Healthy Maine Partnership grant in Hancock County. Healthy Acadia received the award and three other Hancock County partnerships were out of luck. Healthy Acadia has been working off-island for years, so becoming Hancock County’s only Healthy Maine Partnership was an easy adjustment, Michael said. This year, Healthy Acadia became the lead agency in charge of administering Healthy Maine funds in Hancock and Washington counties. There is increasingly less money to go around. “We’re operating with about one-third of the [Healthy Maine Partnership] funding that we did in the two-county region 12 years ago,” Michael explained. The Fund for a Healthy Maine supports the Healthy Maine Partnership program. The fund is sustained by the state’s share of tobacco settlement payments. A $2.7-million budget cut this year resulted in the elimination of the coordinated school health component of the program.

http://fenceviewer.com/site/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=77305:healthy-acadia-lands-$13m-grant&Itemid=938http://fenceviewer.com/site/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=77305:healthy-acadia-lands-$13m-grant&Itemid=938

45

Daily Bulldog Bobby Hanstein Local $220,000 HCC grant for recreational programs for youths 10/11/2012 http://www.dailybulldog.com/db/features/local-220000-hcc-grant-for-recreational-programs-for-youths/

FARMINGTON - MaineHealth was recently awarded a grant of $2,425,220 for improving physical activity and eating habits and decreasing tobacco use in seven rural Maine counties. Locally, a total of $220,000 over the next two years will go to the Healthy Community Coal